Altered national anthem creates social media firestorm

The B.C. based group The Tenors say they are “deeply sorry” for a political statement made during the singing of O Canada before last night’s Major League Baseball All-Star game.

As the group performed O Canada before the start of the game, Remigio Pereira changed “With glowing hearts we see thee rise, the True North strong and free” to “We’re all brothers and sisters, all lives matter to the great.”

In a statement, members of the quartet blame an altered lyric on group member Pereira, who also held up a sign reading “All Lives Matter” and “United We Stand.”

The group says Pereira changed the anthem to “serve his own political views,” and will not perform with them “until further notice.”

Marketing consultant Marc Gordon told CHML’s Bill Kelly Show, musicians should not use the Canadian national anthem to push their own political agenda.

Gordon adds The Tenors’ fiasco is no different than what Black Lives Matter did at Toronto’s Pride Parade earlier this month.

The altered lyrics generated a firestorm of angry responses on social media.